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UFC Prospect Magomed Ankalaev Grinds Out a Hard Fought Decision Against Nikita Krylov at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gane

Published 02/27/2021, 10:37 PM EST

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UFC light heavyweight prospect, Magomed Ankalaev, worked out a decision win against Nikita Krylov at UFC Vegas 20. The bout served as the co-main event, and Ankalaev cashed in on his status as the favorite. He showcased that he was more than a power puncher and is capable of going the distance in a three-round fight.

Magomed Ankalaev changed up his initial game plan of a striking battle for the much more calculated grappling approach. In the end, it paid dividends as both men were evenly matched on a vertical base. Chiefly, the control time against the cage is what allowed Magomed Ankalaev to come out on top at the UFC Apex.

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Aljamain Sterling and Others React on Twitter as Magomed Ankalaev Secures a Unanimous Decision Win Over Nikita Krylov

UFC light heavyweights: Nikita Krylov vs Magomed Ankalaev

Round one played out at a distance, as both men were trying to judge the range spectrum when facing fighters of the opposite stance. Chiefly, Krylov scored a clutch takedown early on and ended the first round with an advantage in significant strikes. However, the power advantage was tipping in favor of Ankalaev, who landed heavily with every blow.

via Imago

As the fight played out, Magomed Ankalaev began increasing his output and the exchange of leather had everyone tense. ‘The Miner’ kept finding success with a switch high kick that seemed to catch Ankalaev on multiple different occasions. The fight was evenly matched in several positions, and both men chased the takedown to pull ahead.

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Moreover, Magomed Ankalaev landed a crucial takedown in round three and attempted to drive Nikita Krylov into the cage. Krylov’s pace declined slightly in the round, and Ankalaev’s grappling heavy style was clearly the way to go. Courtesy of his win, Ankalaev now holds the longest active win streak in the UFC at 205 lbs.

What did you make of the co-main event between the light-heavyweight fighters at the final Fight Night card ahead of the mega UFC 259 event?

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Written by:

Darryl Pinto

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Mass Media (with a specialization in Journalism) out of Xavier’s College and has a year's experience in his current role. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live.
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